Box-fastener.



Patented Mar. 4, I902.

- G, M. JOHNSON.

BOX FAST ENER. (Applicntioh filed an". 11. 901.

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES MANFIELD JOHNSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY-

DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OE ONE-HALE TO CHARLES H. COAK- LEY, WILLIAM F. COAKLEY, AND STEPHEN S. CRAMER, OE MILWAUKEE,

WISCONSIN.

BOX-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,480, dated March 4, 1902.

Application filed November 11, 1901. Serial No. 81,884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES MANFIEL JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide simple economical box-fasteners organized with especial reference tothe utilization'ofmetallic seals in connection therewith; and it consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts hereinafter particularly set forth, with reference to the- Referring by letter to the drawings, A indicates a sheet-metal plate having an upper right-angle flange I), provided witha longitudinal slot 0, and an outer lip 61 is shown depending from the flange; but while I have shown the lip it may be omitted if not found necessary or desirable. Central of the plate the metal thereof is cut out to form preferably circular apertures e f, one below the other, and an apertured outer lateral ear 9 is shown struck up from said plate, although it may be made separate from the same and attached thereto.

Riveted or otherwise secured at its lower end to plate A is a strip B of spring metal, provided with outer lugs h t, that extend through the apertures e f of said plate.

.5 The construction and arrangement of parts thusfar described constitutes the bolt portion of a box-fastener in accordance with my in vention, the catch portion of said fastener being a strip C of sheet metal bent to form a right angle, its vertical or tongue portion being provided with a central aperturejand an apertured outer lateral corner car it, this ear being preferably an integral portion of said strip.

In practice plate A of the bolt portion ofthe fastener is fitted on a wall D of a box and -madefast thereto by nails or screws driven into the wall through apertures provided in saidplate, the upper longitudinally-slotted fiangeb of this plate being flush on the upper edge of the box-wall, and the flange-lip d, if employed, faces the outside of said wall and a recess provided there. The box-wall recess is closed at the baekby plate A, and the slot 0 in plate-flange b'registers with the 6: recess. The catch portion C of the fastener is made fast to the under side of a swing-lid E of the box in position to have its tongue extend through the flange-slot c of plate A when the lid is swung down. The catch-tongue in its descent strikes the rounded or beveled edge of lug h of spring-plate B pertaining to the bolt portion of the fastener,and said plate is automatically retracted to effect a clearance of said tongue by said log. The lid being full down, the aperture of the fastenertongue is automatically engaged by the lug h of spring-plate B, this plate being then in normal position. The lid having been antomatically fastened in closed position, the strap or wire of an ordinary metallic seal F may be engaged with the plate and tongueears g k, as is herein shown. The seal being broken or absent, the lug 't' of spring-plate 13 is pushed upon to retract said plate and disengage lug h of same from the tongue-aper ture of the latch portion of the fastener, so that the box-lid may be swung back on its hinges.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A box-fastener comprising a main plate attachable to a box-wall back of a recess therein, a spring-plate fast at one end to the main 5 plate and provided with lugs extending through apertures in said main plate one below the other, and a catch consisting of a tures one below the other, and a catch consisting of a right-angle strip attachable to the under side of a box-lid, its vertical or tongue portion being apertured and engageable with the upper lug of 'the spring-plate when said lid is swung down.

3. A box-fastener comprising a main plate attachable to a box-wall back of a recess therein, and provided with an outer apertured lateral ear, a spring-plate fast at one end to the main plate and provided with lugs extending through apertures in said main plate one below the other, a catch consisting of a rightangle strip attachable to the under side of a box-lid, its vertical or tongue portion being apertured and engageable with the upper lug of the spring-plate when said lid is swung down, and an apertured ear extending outward from the catch-tongue, the strap or wire of an ordinary metallic seal being en gageable with the main plate and catch-tongue cars. In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee,in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MANFIELD JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

N. E. OLIPHANT, B. C. ROLOFF. 

